Article of clothing

ABSTRACT

A sleeveless, waist-length garment which includes sealing means extending from the arm openings to the waist opening at the side edges of front and back garment panels. The garment includes a lining in at least one of the panels. The lining is permanently secured to the panel along the waistline edge of the panel as well as along the sides of the panel. Along the neck opening of the garment, however, the lining is not attached to the panel. There is also provided a decorative draw cord which is disposed around substantially the entire neck opening of the garment.

United States Patent Richards et al.

[ 51 Oct. 17,1972

1 1 ARTICLE OF CLOTHING |22| Filed: July 13, 1971 121] Appl. No; 162,085

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 67,350, Aug.

[52] US. Cl ..2/l05 [51] Int. Cl. ..A4ld 1/22 158] Field of Search ..2/105, 69.5, 69, 106, 21]

[56] References Cited U N lTED STATES PATENTS 2,446,209 8/1948 Brown He os Dike ..2/69 Wilkaitis et al ..2/l06 Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney-W. R. Hulbert [57] ABSTRACT A sleeveless, waist-length garment which includes sealing means extending from the arm openings to the waist opening at the side edges of front and back garment panels. The garment includes a lining in at least one of the panels. The lining is permanently secured to the panel along the waistline edge of the panel as well as along the sides of the panel. Along the neck opening of the garment, however, the lining is not attached to the panel. There is also provided a decorative draw cord which is disposed around substantially the entire neck opening of the garment.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 17 I97! SHEET 1 BF 2 FIG 2 ARTICLE or CLOTHING This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Ser. No. 67,350, filed Aug. 27, 1970 and entitled Article of Clothing.

This invention relates to an article of clothing.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide an article of clothing which has specific utility in a plurality of different situations.

According to one aspect of the invention an article of clothing is provided which is of generally pleasing appearance, incorporates various features providing aids to the wearer when the wearer is engaged in a number of different activities, and which is convertible into a carry-all or tote-bag.

More specifically, the invention features a sleeveless, waist-length garment which includes sealing means extending from the arm openings to the waist opening at the side edges of front and back garment panels. The garment includes a lining in at least one of the panels. The lining is permanently secured to the panel along the waistline edge of the panel as well as along the sides of the panel. Along the neck opening of the garment, however, the lining is not attached to the panel. There is also provided a decorative draw cord which is disposed around substantially the entire neck opening of the garment. In preferred embodiments of the invention, there is also provided such a lining associated with each of the panels, a scalable pouch at the front waistline portion of the garment, and at least one work retaining loop attached to the garment in a shoulder region thereof (whereby raw materials or tools may be conveniently attached to the garment during various activities, as further described below).

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

FIG. I is a front perspective view of an article of clothing according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1 which has been separated along its side edges;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the article of clothing of FIG. 1 as converted into a tote-bag; and

FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of the article of clothing of FIG. 1 as employed to retain an item to the article of clothing.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the general configuration of an article of clothing constructed according to the invention when employed as a pull-over type, waistlength, sleeveless garment. Front and back panels of the garment, 10, and 12, respectively, may be integral or separate pieces sewn together at the shoulders. Cooperating pairs of strip sealing means are provided at the sides of the garment extending vertically from the arm openings 14, 16 to the waist. These pairs of cooperating strips are numbered I8, 20, and 22, 24, respectively. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the strip sealing means may advantageously be of the type which seals when pressure is applied at any point regardless of the sealed or unsealed condition of any other points on the strip. Such a product is commercially available under the name Velcro.

As shown in FIG. I a flap 26 in the front waist portion of the garment provides a pouch. In the form illustrated, the pouch has three compartments 28, 30, and 32 which are separated by lines of stitching 34 and 36.

The compartment 30 may advantageously have cooperating strips 31, 33 of sealing means along its upper, or open, edge 38.

A draw cord 40 is threaded through eyelets 41 about the neck opening of the garment. The two ends 42 and 44 of draw cord 40 protrude from an opening 46 in back panel 12. While the draw cord 40 is illustrated as a true cord-like member, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that any extended piece of material (whether a cord, a strip, or whatever) may be substituted for the cord 40.

In the preferred form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, a work retaining loop 48 is provided at each shoulder of the garment. In FIG. 1 the loops 48 have been collasped and are retained by sealing means (described below) in a compact, serpentine form. The loops 48 may be of whatever length found convenient for the retaining uses contemplated. The loops comprise strips of material 50, which may simply be the same material as that of the panels 10 and 12. Attached to the lower side of the strip of material 50 is a strip sealing means 52. A cooperating strip sealing means 54 is attached to the shoulder of the garment. Strips 52 and 54 are preferably of the same type as strips 18, 20 and 22, 24, as described above.

A typical use of the loop 48 may be described with reference to FIG. 4, which illustrates the loop as employed to retain a skein of yarn. It will be readily seen that such a use of the loop 48 provides for the convenient handling of the yarn.

FIG. 3 illustrates the garment as converted into a tote-bag. With the strips 18, 20 and 22, 24 either engaged or disengaged, items to be carried may be inserted into the compartments formed between the panels 10 and 12 and their associated linings. The draw-cord 40 is pulled tight to restrict the neck opening and to provide an extended length to protruding ends 42, 44 so as to provide a convenient carrying cord.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that an article of clothing constructed according to the invention is subject to a multiplicity of uses. Thus, for example, when employed as an overgarment in the home, it prevents the soiling of a blouse or dress and simultaneously increases the wearer's efficiency in a number of different tasks. As a specific example of this latter capacity, it may be noted that when the garment is worn by one engaged in such activities as knitting, sewirtg, or crocheting, the various materials needed may be retained by the loops 48 and the various implements employed may be kept in the compartments 28, 30 and 32 of the pouch thereby freeing the hands and organizing the materials so that a temporary diversion from the work (e.g., answering a telephone) does not cause a complete disorganization of the work-in-progress.

When the garment is used by a seamstress, it has been found advantageous to use in combination with the garment a ball of styrofoam which is covered with a layer of yarn. The yarn adheres to the strip of sealing means (associated with the loop 48) at the shoulder of the garment and in that position provides a convenient receptacle for firmly and efficiently holding common mm.

The provision of cooperating strips of sealing means at the sides of the garment allows for easy adjustment of the size of the arm openings. This feature, of course.

is important not only because different users of the garment may require different arm opening sizes, but also because different activities by any one user may require varying degrees of freedom in the movement of the arms so that a comfortable arm opening size for one activity may be restrictive in another activity.

The provision of the sealable compartment 30 in the pouch at the front waist portion of the garment, provides a convenient place for safe storage of money, a wallet, keys, etc. It is apparent, therefore, that an article of clothing according to the invention also provides for an alternative to the carrying of a purse or handbag by a woman. As such it may comprise a significant deterent to the loss of important items due to theft of a purse or inadvertent leaving of a purse at one store when proceeding to another.

The conversion of the garment into a tote-bag, of course, provides further variety to the potential uses of the garment. Thus, for example, a person engaged in activities as mentioned above (e.g., knitting, sewing, or Crocheting) may transport the various materials and implements in the garment as transformed into a totebag and then retransform it into an overgarment when actually engaging in that activity.

What is claimed is:

l. A sleeveless article of clothing having neck, waist, and arm openings defined by cooperating front and back panels and including sealing means operative to 5 join said panels along their edges between said arm and waist opening, said article of clothing being provided with a draw-cord about said neck opening and having a lining attached to at least one of said panels along only the waist and side edges thereof to provide a compartment between said panel and lining; whereby said article of clothing may be converted into a tote-bag in which said neck opening and draw-cord provide a closable tote-bag opening.

2. The article of clothing as claimed in claim 1 including a pouch on said front panel, and sealing means therefor, adjacent said waist opening.

3. The article of clothing as claimed in claim 1 including at least one work-retaining loop in the shoulder region thereof.

4. The article of clothing as claimed in claim 1 wherein both said panels have such a lining attached thereto. 

1. A sleeveless article of clothing having neck, waist, and arm openings defined by cooperating front and back panels and including sealing means operative to join said panels along their edges between said arm and waist opening, said article of clothing being provided with a draw-cord about said neck opening and having a lining attached to at least one of said panels along only the waist and side edges thereof to provide a compartment between said panel and lining; whereby said article of clothing may be converted into a tote-bag in which said neck opening and draw-cord provide a closable tote-bag opening.
 2. The article of clothing as claimed in claim 1 including a pouch on said front panel, and sealing means therefor, adjacent said waist opening.
 3. The article of clothing as claimed in claim 1 including at least one work-retaining loop in the shoulder region thereof.
 4. The article of clothing as claimed in claim 1 wherein both said panels have such a lining attached thereto. 